1. Field of the Invention
The presently disclosed invention relates to two kinds of toys that are intended for use by dogs: flying toys that are used by people and dogs in games of toss-and-catch and rope toys that are used by dogs for chewing.
Disk-shaped or saucer-shaped flying toys, also called gyrofliers, are commonly used for interactive play between people and dogs. The flying toy is tossed with backspin into the air by the person. As it hovers in the air, the dog will usually chase it and try to catch the toy in its mouth and may then retrieve it.
Dogs also enjoy chewing toys. Many chew toys have been created to accomodate the natural tendency of dogs to chew and gnaw on things. Some of the most successful chew toys are made of rope. It has been shown that dogs enjoy chewing on rope, especially if it is tied into knots. The knobby shape of a rope knot together with the gentle, but substantial resistance it provides make it an ideal chewing toy for a dog.
2. Description of Prior Art
Dogs are known to enjoy catching and retrieving flying disks. Because a disk-shaped or saucer-shaped gyroflier tends to hover in flight for a long period of time, it provides an easy opportunity for a dog to catch it in mid air. People commonly play games with their dog in which the person tosses a disk-shaped gyroflier like the one taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,359,678 to Headrick and the dog tries catch and retrieve it.
One problem with Headrick""s disk toy is that, if it falls to the ground before the dog can catch it, the dog may find it difficult or impossible to pick up. If the disk is lying flat on the ground, the dog usually cannot get its mouth around it in order to pick it up. This can be a frustrating experience for the dog and also for the person who has to walk over to the disk and pick it up.
Inventors have patented flying disk toys that are intended to solve this problem. U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,083 to Axelrod, shows a flying disk with projecting ridge extending upwardly from the top surface in order to provide a means for the dog to grab and lift the disk with its mouth. U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,842 to Marcotti and U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,581 to Ziegler also teach a flying disk that has protruding features on the top surface that might allow a dog to grasp and pick up the disk.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,132,030 to Lehman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,966 to Ward, U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,753 to Perez, and U.S. Des. 387,513 to Mauldin Jr. all teach flying disk-shaped or saucer-shaped flying toys having protrusions extending downwardly from the bottom of the disk that cause the outer edge of the disk to be positioned high enough above the surface upon which the disk rests, so that the dog can get its mouth around the outer edge of the disk and thereby pick it up.
The presently disclosed flying disk may be grabbed and picked up by a dog two different ways. A dog may grab the rope knot that protrudes from the top of the disk or may grab the outer edge of the disk. By providing two different ways for a dog to grab it and pick it up, the new flyng disk represents an improvement over prior flying disks for dogs.
One problem with all of the prior art flying toys mentioned above is that, in order for them to fly easily and hover a long time in the air, they need to be made of a material that is lightweight or thin. Because they are made of light or thin material, they are usually not substantial enough to endure much chewing by a dog.
Dogs are known to enjoy chewing toys. Many toys having a rope knot are sold on the market for dogs to chew. Chewing on a rope knot is an activity that dogs seem to find enjoyable. It provides stimulation, excercise, and may help the dog to keep its teeth clean.
While rope toys are well suited for chewing, they are not well suited for games of toss-and-catch. Rope is heavy and does not have an airfoil shape to provide aerodynamic lift and so it does not hover long enough for a dog to catch it in mid air the same way it can catch a flying disk toy. The present invention combines a rope chew toy with a flying disk toy in a novel way and so it provides an improved form of toy for dogs.
The invention disclosed herein comprises a flying disk with an aperture through its radial center. Inserted through the aperture is a short piece of rope, being of sufficient weight and strength as to endure steady chewing by a dog. The rope has knots on both of its ends. The bottom knot is of sufficient size as to raise at least part of the disk above the surface upon which it rests. The same device can be used as a flying toy that will hover in the air for games of toss-and-catch and toss-and-fetch and it can also be used as a chew toy. Because of its dual utility, it represents an improvement over prior flying disks and rope chew toys.
The several objects and advantages of the present invention include:
(a) to provide a flying toy that may be tossed in the air and hover long enough in flight as to be easily caught by a dog;
(b) to provide a disk shaped flying toy that a dog may easily pick up by grabbing a rope knot protruding from the center of the upper surface of the disk;
(c) to provide a disk shaped flying toy that a dog may easily pick up by grabbing the outer rim of the disk;
(d) to provide a flying toy that may be chewed for prolonged periods of time without damage to the toy;
(e) to provide a chewing toy that may be tossed by a human and caught in flight by a dog.